Shelter
by spoodle monkey
Summary: 3 times that Stephen held an umbrella for Connor. Stephen/Connor


Disclaimer: Nope, don't own.

A/N- various spoilers throughout series one and two...

* * *

The first time (which will later change when Cutter goes back in time and changes things) is at a funeral.

It's a small funeral, Tom's family, and a few friends.

Connor shows up dressed in black and hangs back throughout the processions. He avoids Toms mother, avoids his sister, because how can he look them in the eye with all he knows?

They're saying that Tom was mugged or some other bullshit like it but Connor _knows_ and he can't even tell Toms mother. Sometimes he hates his job.

It starts to rain as they lower the casket into the ground; people step forwards and toss their flowers into the hole in the ground and all Connor can think is how it's _his_ fault that this has happened.

The rain starts to come down heavier and people start to drift away as they cover the coffin in soil. He shivers involuntarily, not necessarily from the rain.

It comes as a surprise however when suddenly the rain stops falling on _him_.

Connor glances sideways and finds Stephen standing next to him, holding a large umbrella out to cover them both. He's watching Connor with a sad look on his face and Connor has to wonder if Stephen has buried friends before.

Fat raindrops roll slowly down Stephens other shoulder and start to seep into his jacket. There is just enough space between them that Stephens arm is going to end up soaked.

Connor thinks screw respectable amounts of space and tentatively reaches out to draw the other man closer so they're both fully under the umbrella.

They're pressed side to side now and Connor can feel the heat coming off of Stephen in waves.

He starts to feel less numb.

::

Cutter and Claudia go off to some place or another, Abby and Stephen have been invited out to drinks and Connor is left with nothing to do on a Friday night.

Oh well, he thinks, it's not the first Friday night he's had nothing to do. He's been meaning to catch up on his DVD rentals anyways.

He peers out into the pouring rain and at the bus shelter all the way down the block, glumly. There's no way he'll be able to make it there without getting drenched.

No time like the present, he tells himself firmly and hikes the collar of his jacket up, pulls his hat on tighter and tries to cover his bag. His papers are going to end up _drenched_. With his luck he'll have to redo it all.

"Connor!"

He starts and nearly falls face first into the puddle that waits for him just off the front steps.

Hands grab his shoulders and stop his descent, pulling him back into the relative safety of the dry overhang. Stephen grins at him, squeezes his shoulder and brushes the few raindrops the cling to his coat off of him and then holds up an umbrella.

"Need a lift?" He gestures to where his car is parked down the street.

"You are bloody amazing." Connor tells him, completely serious.

Stephen opens the umbrella, holds it over them and they walk briskly towards the car. He even goes as far as open Connors door for him and holding the umbrella high enough for Connor to climb into the car. Then he shuts the door and darts around to the driver's side.

"I thought you had plans with Abby tonight." Connor waits until they're close to his and Abby's flat before bringing up the subject because if he ends up tossed out of the car then he'd rather it is close to home.

Stephen glances over at him briefly, amused.

"I didn't really feel like going out for drinks again."

Connor nods his head but doesn't really understand because he rarely gets invited out for drinks so he hasn't had a chance to grow tired of it.

"I'm going to rent some DVDs tonight." Connor blurts out and Stephen lets out a little snort of laughter. Connor decides he likes it. "Would you like to join me?"

Stephen glances over at him again, eyebrow raised but still amused and maybe, just a little pleased.

They park in front of the flat, Stephen rushing around to get Connors door _again_ and Connor is grinning like a loon when they make it to the door because Stephen has his hand resting on the small of his back and they're _much closer_ than before.  
They don't end up going out to rent DVDs, instead choosing to watch Connors vast collection of scifi movies.

And if they end up curled close together on the couch and Stephens arm rests on the back of the couch, slipping down to Connors shoulders, then they can blame it on how chilly the rain makes the flat.

::

The third time is also the first time as it happens after Cutter changes the past.

Connor stands at the entrance to the hospital trying to get a taxi but it's difficult with the sheets of rain pouring down and his left arm is in a sling. His head is pounding and he wants nothing more than to get back to the flat and down his medication before curling up in bed for a _long_ time.

He has the next two weeks off, even if he doesn't know what he's going to do with himself.

Connor manages to hail a taxi only to have a little old lady come up behind him with her great niece who, according to the lady, was visiting her mother in the hospital. The little girl looks close to tears, big brown eyes too cute for their own good.

Connor watches the taxi drive off with the little old lady and her great niece and sighs. He's never going to get home at this rate.

"There you are!"

He jumps as a hand lands on his shoulder and grimaces as he jars his arm.

"Sorry, sorry." Stephen apologizes and deft fingers help fix his sling. "I've been looking for you everywhere!"

It may be the pain meds but Connor is feeling a little slow because he can't figure out why Stephen was looking for him, and he says as much. As far as he had known, he'd been dropped off at the hospital while the rest of the team went to finish dealing with the anomaly.

"I'm here to drive you home." Stephen explains but he keeps looking Connor up and down and his hands keep clenching at his sides like he wants to reach out and- oh.

"I'm okay, you know?" Connor says softly, so softly that he's sure the rain has swallowed up his words.

Stephen lets out a shuddering breath and tentatively lifts a hand to Connor's arm, then his shoulder and with a step closer the back of his neck. Most people are inside away from the cold and the rain. They're hidden like this.

"Don't do it again." Stephen whispers and crowds into Connors space, head tilted down to look Connor in the eye.

Connor finds himself nodding, though he can't promise, not with how their job is and tilts his head up just enough so that their lips brush together.

When they pull back, they're both flushed and grinning.

"Come on." Stephen holds out an umbrella and slips an arm around Connors waist, pulling him close.

They step out into the rain together, umbrella held up over the heads, keeping them dry and together.


End file.
